Glaittli

Saturday, April 10, 2010

John Peter Schlosser

Notes for John Peter Schlosser:Centennial History of Lebanon Classes of the Reformed Church in the U.S.,1820 - 1920, Compiled by Prof. Thos. S. Stein, Lebanon PA: Sowers Printing Company.

Excerpts from Chapter VI: "Sketches of Congregations"

St. Jacob's (Kimmerling's), Tulpehocken Charge.

Rev. H.J. WELKER, The Houses of Worship. It is supposed that a house of worship built of logs stood upon the site of the present church, or near by. One authority, William Egle in his History of Lebanon County, says, that the first church was erected by PeterSCHLOSSER and presented to the church society, on ground, however, on whichJacob KIMMERLING settled.First of all the book presented by Peter SCHLOSSER, as stated before, inwhich to record baptisms, confirmations, and marriages. We find the firstbaptism recorded that of John Michael MILLER, son of Christofel and BarbaraMILLER. The first class confirmed consisted of four members, John MichaelTHEISS, Christofel MEYER, Eva Elisabeth KIMMERLING, and Anna MariaWASHERBACH. PastorPeter SCHLOSSER whose name is mentioned in the first record of this churchwas also among the most prominent settlers, and one of the most activeworkers in the church. He emigrated to America in the year 1732. Hepresented a book to the church in which are recorded the first baptisms andconfirmations of the congregation. The names of Henry KELKER, Herman EIKEL,George MAAS, John Michael THEISS, Nicolaus WEISS, Christofel MILLER, JohnGeorge MILLER, Jacob SCHWOB and those of other settlers appear in therecord at a very early date.

Quoting from: PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC SLUSS BURIAL SITE (as written by Joan Sluss, Virginia USA) PETER SCHLOSSER, with his brother LEONARD SCHLOSSER arrived in Philadelphia, PA in 1732 on the ship "Dragon." ... Alongside the battle line of Antietam, in the German Reformed Church cemetery, [in Sharpsburg MD] Peter Schlosser was laid to rest in 1790. After more than two hundred years the engraving on the stone is still legible. It reads, in German; "Here rests in God Peter Schlosser. He was born 20 January 1710 and died 8 January 1790. His age was 80 years, 11 months, and 3 days. When you awaken the dead on that day, so also reach out your hand to my grave." ...

John Petter Schlosser and his brother Leonardt Schlosser were among the first Germans to take up Virgin soil in Pennsylvania.they came by way of Rotterdam, via Plymouth, arriving on the ship " Dragon" and took the oath of allegiance to the British Crown on 30 September 1732, at Philladelphia. In 1751 their brother Georg Ernst Schlosser followed via the Moravian colony vessel " Irene ", landing in Ney York ,then to Bethlehem in 1752,and on to Philadelphia. John Petter Schlosser , b. 20 Jan 1710, Germany, married Anna Maria Weschenbach and settled in Pennsylvania where they had a large family. After their children were born,John Petter and Anna Maria moved to Washington co. Maryland,where John Petter died in 1790.A large monument was erected in memory of John Petter at the old reformed church graveyard,Sharpsburg, Washington county Maryland. Naturalizations of Foreign Protestants in the American and West Indian Colonies.[The following certificales for this Colony have not been entered into the Entry Book.] C. O. 5. 1276.

Peter Schlasser arrived in Philadelphia 30 Sep 1732 on the ship Dragon, accompanied by his brother Leonhardt. He took the oath of allegiance on 30 Sep 1738.

He settled in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Most early data on the family is from old Lutheran Reformed church records in the area. (Probably many of the children who were baptised with two names went by the second of them, as was common in German families of the time.)

Around 1780 the family moved to the Sharpsburg area in Washington Co., Maryland. Peter's grave sits in the old Reformed churchyard just off the main street of Sharpsburg, about a mile from the Antietam Battlefield. The grave marker is of field stone and still legible. The inscription, in German, reads in translation: "Here rests in God Peter Scholsser. He was born 20 January 1710 and died 8 January 1790. His age was 80 years 11 months and 3 days. When you awaken the dead on that day, so also reach out your hand to my grave."

Stan Higgins of Bellville, Ohio, reportedly has traced Peter's forebears in Germany. According to him, Peter's parents were Jost Schlosser and Margaretha Frey, his grandparents were Henrich Schlosser and Anna Maria Schampar, and his great-grandparents Freidrich Schlosser and Christina Schenck. This is a second-hand report. I have not corresponded directly with Mr. Higgins, and do not know the details of his sources, but they are likely to be German church records, and thus probably include many dates.

Some of my data on this family comes from the book "250 Years in the Blue Ridge: The Legacy of the Slushers and Other Settlers in Floyd County", 1993, by Nancy Slusher Hanley and Janet Slusher Keith (daughters of Freeman Slusher and Ruth Gardner.)

Some researchers (e.g., Elza Cox) also list Susannah, wife of Elijah Hylton, as a dau of Peter Schlosser, citing family tradition. But I have not seen any primary source for this attribution, and I very much doubt it because Elijah Hylton was in Virginia in the period 1760-1770, while the Slusher family was still in Pennsylvania. Notes for Maria Margaretha Weschenbach Margaretha arrived in Philadelphia Sept 1734

Along side the battle line Antietam, in the German Reformed Church cemetery, (in Sharpburg VA).Peter Schlosser was laid to rest in 1790. After more than 200 years the engraving on the stone is still legible. It reads, in German; ""Here rest in God Peter Schlosser. He was born 20 January 1710 and died 8 January 1790. His age was 80 years, 11 months, and 3 days. When you awaken the dead on that day, so also reach out your hand to my grave.""Sep 30 1732 arrived on the ship ""Dragon"", with his brotherPRESERVATION OF HISTORIC SLUSS BURIAL SITE.(as written by Joan Sluss, VA USA)LEONARD SCHLOSSER with his brother arrived in Philadelphia, PA in 1732 on the ship ""Dragon""